


New Beginnings

by Swashbuckler



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Gen, Homelessness, Smoking, The Rogues (DCU) As Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 11:24:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11439861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swashbuckler/pseuds/Swashbuckler
Summary: How Piper joined the Rogues.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Reposted from my previous account!

Hartley pulled his coat tighter around himself as he trudged through the snow, ratty scarf tugged around his neck and face as he struggled and stumbled down the street in the dark. He just- he just had to find somewhere to sleep safely tonight. He’d be fine! He could ignore the hunger pains gnawing at his stomach. He had for the last few days, there was no reason he couldn’t...go today...too...

Snapping his eyes open, Hartley heaved in a slow, deep breath of cold night air. Can’t fall asleep. Not right now. Food. Shelter. _Pick one. Find it._

Stumbling forwards, always forwards, Hartley found himself under the highway bridge. _When did I get here?_ Hartley glanced back in the direction he’d come in confusion, eyes sliding back and forth as he struggled to focus in his fatigue. There was the tiniest shift of gravel to his right that made him freeze.

Hartley stiffly glanced to the side, raising his eyebrows at the man lounging against the underside of the bridge just as he gave a low whistle in Hartley’s direction to get his attention.

“Can I help you?” Hartley croaked out, frowning at the man. The man shrugged and gave him a lazy smile.

“Depends,” he hummed, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Can you help me?” 

“I’m homeless, I don’t exactly have spare change,” Hartley quipped dryly. “Try the mall when it reopens in the morning - more luck there.” The man just laughed. 

“Not that kind of help.” The man pushed off from the concrete pillar he’d been leaning on, walking toward Hartley with an easy swagger as he surveyed him with interest, smoke mingling with fogged breath as he exhaled slowly. 

“I know you. Well, of you,” the man waved his hand dismissively, and flecks of ash flickered down from the tip of the cigarette between his fingers. “You’re the one running around in polka dots hypnotising people,” the man smiled, peering over the top of his mirrored sunglasses. 

“I might be,” Hartley said coldly. He could feel the weight of his flute in his coat. If this guy was trouble, he could grab it in a second and-

“Hey, twitchy, ease up,” the man snorted, huffing smoke out his nose as he rolled his eyes. He shifted his weight to one leg, hip jutting out at an angle and wrist holding his cigarette relaxed as he grinned at Hartley, offering him his other hand. 

“Sam Scudder. Big fan.” 

Hartley eyed him carefully as he took his hand, and his cold hand was practically skeletal against Sam’s as he shook it. “Hartley Rathaway.” 

Sam grinned at him, breathing out a veil of smoke. “Pied Piper, meet the Mirror Master.”

Hartley watched as Sam stubbed his cigarette out beneath the toes of shined shoes, before the the infamous Mirror Master spoke again. “I’m here to make your life one hell of a lot easier. You know our little annoying friend in red?”

“The Republican Party?” 

“Ooh, no, the fast one who actually gets places,” snorted Sam, putting an arm around Hartley’s shoulders and leading him down the road. 

“The Flash then,” said Hartley, frowning warily at Sam’s hand on his shoulder.

“Precisely. Now, as we all know, he’s much too fast for any just _one_ criminal. But here’s my proposal--” They’d come to an abandoned petrol station, and before Hartley found the words to protest, Scudder shoved him forwards towards the one clean window of the building. There was a flash, and instead of his back hitting the window, it was met by a large pair of hands.

“Yikes, Scudder, don’t just push ‘im through! Coulda damaged his back if ‘e hit the ground!” grunted one indignant voice. Hartley blinked at the mirror he was now facing. The man behind him who’d just spoken was the size of a tank, bald, and looked as though he’d make an excellent bodyguard. He did set Hartley carefully back on his feet with a murmured apology on Scudder’s behalf, however. There was a chuckle and the mirror in front of Hartley warped and seemed to bend as Sam stepped through it, pushing his sunglasses up onto the top of his head. 

“Yeah, we’ve been thrown about by the Flash enough to not be thrown about by you!” growled a man to his left around a cigar as he patted himself down, frowning. “Oi, Mick, you gotta-?” A little silver box was tossed his way before he could finish his question. The man caught it and flicked it open, lighting his cigar. “Cheers.” 

As Hartley looked around at the group present, he realised that he’d seen all their faces in the papers he’d fished from bins - the man with the cigar was Captain Cold. The man who’d helped him up - Heatwave. The Mirror Master was at his side, and the Top, the Trickster, Captain Boomerang, and the Weather Wizard were all facing him, waiting. 

“Now,” Sam smiled, and Hartley couldn’t remember a time he’d seen cleaner, whiter teeth, “the proposal - I say we all show the Flash that if he wants this city, _he’s going to have to up his game!”_

Hartley nodded slowly. The Flash could tackle one supervillain - but a team of them, all at once? 

“All for one, and one for all?” 

“Ohh, he gets it.” Sam flashed him an even brighter smile. “Welcome to the Rogues, Piper.” 

“Great,” Piper smiled dazedly, swaying a little. "Just one thing?" 

"Yeah?'

_“Please say you have food.”_

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first time ever writing Sam Scudder! :0 Let me know what you think!


End file.
